Vol 0. Chapter 2 - Kiyotaka's First Christmas (Part One)

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

December 24.

Today marks my first Christmas Eve outside the White Room, as well as my 64th day away from the White Room.

From reading books, I know that Christmas is a major holiday that allows people to gather together and catch up. But considering my disposition, I do not understand how it would be different from any other day.

It's a point of view that Eiichiro said he would change. I don't know how he would do that, but I am looking forward to his efforts to make Christmas feel different for my sake.

I suppose I should be grateful for what he has done for me in the past two months.

Eiichiro, despite knowing that I still did not trust him, wasn't deterred in his efforts to reach me. While I initially thought that he was only obligated to befriend me because of his father's mission, I found out from his father that he did not tell Eiichiro that this was a mission.

The elder Matsuo simply told his son that I never had friends in my entire life and had been homeschooled all throughout. It was Eiichiro's own initiative that made him decide to show me how people our age act and react to things.

Knowing how Eiichiro's actions were driven by a sincere desire to make someone like me know what it feels like to live... was touching.

But despite that, the damage done by the White Room on my psyche seems extremely hard to undo.

While I do understand now what constitutes friendships and how human relationships work, there is still this terrible thought in me that saw my understanding of these concepts as an effective way to utilize other people as I see fit.

Eiichiro has been nothing but honest and supportive of me yet, I only saw him as a tool—a great one at that. Despite my positive view of the younger Matsuo, the point still stands that I saw Eiichiro as the tool that would allow me to better exploit the weaknesses of other people.

And I hate myself for seeing things that way.

Am I perhaps too far gone?

Am I perhaps destined to live a life where the will of my father lives vicariously through me?

Am I perhaps... incurable and destined to simply be a machine coded to conquer?

No.

I will not let that happen.

While today, I stand as a masterpiece whose heart has been torn by the torturous environment of the White Room, I will not allow that to be my future.

In the future, I will definitely be able to rid myself of the instinctual defects gifted to me by the White Room.

It may not be now or the year after that, but it will happen.

"Kiyotaka, you got that weird thinking pose going on again!"

I turned my head to the right and saw Eiichiro approaching me with a bowl of popcorn in hand.

"What's so wrong with being deep in thought?" I curiously asked.

"You look like you're planning to take over the world. That's what's wrong with it. Also, no, I did not eat the last ice cream tub from the fridge, so please don't plot my death," Eiichiro replied.

This was bad.

I was looking forward to eating that avocado-flavored ice cream last night, but I fell asleep.

"There's no more ice cream?" I asked.

Eiichiro nodded.

"How did you know?" I asked.

Eiichiro looked away from me and decided to look up at the ceiling as if there was something interesting there.

He could just be honest and say he ate it. It's not like we cannot buy another one.

"If you ate the ice cream, that's fine. We're friends, aren't we? We're supposed to share stuff, like you said," I said to Eiichiro, who beamed upon hearing my words.

After setting down the bowl of popcorn on the table, Eiichiro ran up to me and engaged me in a "brotherly hug."

"You've truly grown up, Kiyotaka!! I am so proud of you," he said as he pretended to sniff, as if he was crying in joy.

"I do not see the point of being upset over it. We could simply ask people to buy one," I replied.

Eiichiro grinned and rubbed the top of my head.

"No need to get bashful, Kiyotaka! Just accept the compliment like a normal person," he said.

I see.

So simply accepting a compliment and being grateful for hearing it, was the proper etiquette for this situation.

"Ah, thank you, Eiichiro."

Eiichiro simply laughed.

"You're like a toddler sometimes, Kiyotaka."

"I suppose that's true in a way. I am new to a lot of things that were common to you and Tsubasa," I replied.

Eiichiro smiled at me before turning his gaze to the wall clock in the living room.

It was currently 11:59 PM.

I see... he's counting down how many seconds it will be until it is officially Christmas.

I noticed Asuka peeking her head out from the kitchen area. Upon noticing that I was looking at her, she smiled and then said:

"Hey, are you kids counting down for Christmas? Food's about ready, so get in the dining area in a while, alright?"

"Sure thing, Asuka! Just wait for Kiyotaka and I," Eiichiro replied, his eyes still glued to the wall clock.

"Hey, Kiyotaka, count with me."

"Alright"

"10"

"9"

"8"

"7"

"6"

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

As the clock moved and showed it was now 12:00 MN, Eiichiro turned his head to me.

"A lot of first times for you in the past couple of months, right? Including celebrating the holidays. That said, Merry Christmas, Kiyotaka!"

Eiichiro greeted me with a wide grin before pulling something from his pocket: a small wrapped box, which he presented to me.

"What's this, Eiichiro?" I asked.

"Your Christmas gift. People exchange gifts for Christmas, you know?"

"They do? I'm afraid I haven't gotten you one," I replied.

"Don't worry, Kiyotaka! You can make it up to me on my birthday. Think of our friendship as your gift to me. I'm happy to be your first friend, you know?" He said whilst smiling.

"I see. Thank you, Eiichiro. I appreciate it," I replied before turning my look to the small box Eiichiro had presented me.

"Well... what are you waiting for, Kiyotaka? Open your gift!"

"I'm supposed to open it?"

"Of course! That's what Christmas is all about—giving gifts, receiving gifts, and opening gifts," Eiichiro answered.

I took one glance at Eiichiro before turning my attention back to his gift.

It was wrapped in a green, Christmas-themed wrapper. I could tell that... the wrapping could have been better, which tells me that Eiichiro wrapped it himself.

Since he told me to open it, I tore open the wraps, which revealed a black box, which I also opened.

Upon opening the box, I saw a golden watch inside, with a small note in the bottom of the box.

"A watch?"

"Yep! I don't see you wearing one, so I thought it'd be a nice gift for you. Also, you seem to keep losing track of time when you're working on your journal, so that's going to help you not to keep people waiting. Especially me!" Eiichiro explained the last part clearly a joke, given he laughed as he said that.

"This is the first gift I received in my life," I confessed.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Thank you, Eiichiro."

"You're welcome, Kiyotaka! That's what friends are supposed to do, right?" Eiichiro said with a grin on his face.

I stared at Eiichiro with the same look that I've always had, but in my mind, I was looking at him in gratitude.

This... is quite the experience for me.

One day, Eiichiro... I will be able to treat you the way you deserve to be treated... not as a tool, but as a trusted friend.

Hopefully, you can give me the time to rediscover myself.

For now, allow me to give you my thanks for helping me see the beauty of the holiday season with my own eyes.

An occasion that allows for relationships to be stronger, huh?

What an interesting concept.

2.1

One thing I learned about Christmas is the fact that the festivities end after midnight.

After eating our meal and chatting with the people in the mansion, my father, who somehow made time for Christmas, called me over to his office.

Was it normal to be called over after having a meal during Christmas?

Or is it purely a Japanese thing since Japan doesn't really celebrate Christmas?

I currently find myself in front of his office/study in this mansion... which, oddly enough, is the only room in the house with a white door.

He's definitely addicted to the color white.

That's a thought I'll ponder upon next time. I shouldn't keep him waiting.

I simply knocked on the door to signify to him that I had arrived.

"Come in, Kiyotaka."

Upon his orders, I pushed open the doors to the white room... that pun is an 11/10, right?

I entered the room and closed the door behind me before I scanned the entire room. As expected, white walls, white furniture, and... even a white bottle of wine was sitting on my father's also white table.

"I'm back in the White Room, it would seem," I absentmindedly commented upon observing the room.

"It seems the Matsuo boy already had some impact on you, Kiyotaka. Not a bad progress, but do maintain decorum when you are facing me," my father said.

So he dislikes my casual and offhanded remarks... but doesn't see it as a bad thing.

I might just do more of that to piss him off.

"Eiichiro has proven to be invaluable to this lesson, yes," I replied.

"I can see that. You're more capable of holding conversations now compared to when you began. That being said, take a seat Kiyotaka," he replied and then gestured for me to sit on the comfortable armchair across from his table.

I settled into the chair, patting the comfortable cushion a couple of times before turning my attention to my father.

"Father, why have you called me here?" I asked.

"I'm simply informing you that I will be bringing you to a gathering tonight alongside some of Japan's most influential families. Be ready by 6 PM, and wear the suit Matsuo will bring to your room later. I expect you to treat this as the first test of your aptitude in communication. If you play your cards right, you will be securing the help of powerful families when the time comes for you to rule Japan," he replied.

"I have a question, father. Am I allowed to operate on my own, or are there specific targets for me to engage with?" I asked.

"Great question. For this test, we will not only be testing your communication aptitude, but also your intuition. I wish to see if you can correctly discern which of the heirs of these elites is worth your time. Beyond capabilities, a great leader must also be able to see where other people stand in terms of competence and potential," he replied.

That makes sense.

After all, nothing is more detrimental to someone than placing their faith in someone who couldn't do jack.

A situation like that had already destabilized the British monarchy a couple of times in its history.

"I see. Is that all, father?" I asked.

"That is all. Rest well, Kiyotaka," he replied.

I stood up from my seat and headed to the doors, but not before giving a curt bow to the man in front of me.

A social gathering, huh?

This will be a great test to see if I actually made progress.

2.2

After my short meeting with my father, I immediately headed to my room to sleep. I must admit that Christmas... is a nice occasion.

Eating with other people and seeing them (except my father, whose heart seems devoid of anything fun) share joy is a nice sight to witness. Perhaps I should suggest for us to arrange something for the New Year? I could invite Tsubasa and her family to attend.

As usual, my body clock immediately woke me up at 5:30 AM, giving me only four hours of sleep. Since I am not a person to waste time, regardless of fatigue, I decided to head down to the basement area to work out.

Even if I'm no longer in the White Room, that does not mean I am allowed to slack off on my physical training. I still have a strict regimen to follow, but it's more bearable than what I had to do daily in the White Room simply because I'll only have to do this for an hour, whereas I had a more complicated regimen and longer workout sessions when I was in the White Room.

By comparison, this one seems like paradise.

After finishing up my workout, I immediately headed to the living room to cool down for a bit. I've been taught that after working out, I should at least cool down for 22-30 minutes to stabilize my heartbeat before going into the showers.

Ring

As I heard the ringing sound of my phone, I took it out of my pocket, and upon opening my phone, I saw a message from Tsubasa.

[6:58:50 puppy-chan] I fell asleep last night LMAO! Merry Christmas, Kiyotaka-senpai. I haven't bought a gift, but if you'd like, I might kiss you on the cheeks to make up for it!

I stared at my phone for a bit.

A kiss, huh?

I began thinking of a reply, and within thirty seconds, I started typing out a reply.

[6:59:50] I will only forgive you if it's on the lips.

That's a proper reply, right? After all, the internet never lies. If a woman offers to kiss you, take advantage of the chance, or so, it says.

About three minutes later, my phone beeped again, indicating a reply from Tsubasa.

That's strange. That girl usually replies within seconds... I wonder what took her long.

[7:03:20 puppy-chan] Kiyotaka-senpai no baka!

[7:03:50 puppy-chan] A girl's first kiss is sacred, you know?! Do you even know what you're asking for? Big dummy! Kiyotaka!

Did she just use my name as a verb... or was it used as an adjective? To my knowledge, Kiyotaka is not a verb, but her text indicates that it's being used as a verb or an adjective.

Tsubasa is weird.

[7:04:20] Yes. A kiss.

[7:04:30 puppy-chan] Only on the cheeks!

I suppose asking for a kiss on the lips was too much. Still, it is a victory for Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

[7:04:40] Did you just use my name as an adjective earlier?

[7:04:58 puppy-chan] Yes! It means a person with no common sense. A Kiyotaka!

[7:05:10] Ah. I apologize for that.

It seems like I still have plenty to learn before I can grasp the concept of having common sense.

[7:05:25 puppy-chan] Waiiiit?! You know how to use emojis?? Since wheeen

[7:05:40] I stumbled upon it on my keyboard settings. Did I use the right one?

[7:05:55 puppy-chan] Yes! I'm actually surprised, Kiyotaka-senpai. It seems like you're growing up.

[7:06:20] I see. Thanks for the compliment. I'll end this conversation for now since I'll be taking a bath.

[7:06:55 puppy-chan] Kiyotaka no baka! You don't tell a maiden you're taking a bath!

[7:07:10] My bad. I'll be going now, Tsubasa.

What's wrong with informing her what I'm supposed to do? I might ask Eiichiro later since he probably knew where I went wrong.

With my business with Tsubasa settled, I went upstairs to my room to take a shower.

Nothing better than a refreshing morning, as they say.

After taking off all my clothes and preparing some bath essentials, I entered the bathroom, and upon settling down my things, I turned on the shower.

I wonder... is it more enjoyable if I shower with a friend?

Perhaps I'll ask Tsubasa. Eiichiro wouldn't accept because he's scared I'd make fun of his small penis again, so Tsubasa is the only option.

Speaking of Eiichiro, he told me that his penis is not small but that mine is just significantly bigger and that he hasn't finished puberty yet.

He's oddly defensive about it but, at the same time, called me the pride of Japan.

As my hands descended down my body, I took notice of my appendage, which Eiichiro called a "T-Rex."

It's a weird name, but Eiichiro says the nickname makes perfect sense.

Is it unusual for teenage boys to have something like this between their legs? Because if my size was unusual, then the T-Rex comparisons make sense since the T-Rex species are extinct.

Also, is this what they call shower thoughts?

I admit my thoughts are getting a bit weird, but I couldn't help but ask myself those questions. They may come in handy later in life.

After about five minutes of showering, I stepped out of the shower and began drying myself with my body towel, after which I retrieved a bathrobe that I hung inside the room and wore it.

I wish we had bathrobes in the White Room. It's a rather comfortable thing to wear after taking a bath.

I turned my head to the wall clock and saw it was still 7:17 AM. That means I still had 13 minutes before I got called for breakfast.

Since I still had some time to spend, I decided to boot up my PC and learn from internet-sensei once again.

As the PC booted up, I immediately opened Google Chrome and typed out what was on my mind.

'Is it wrong to tell someone you're taking a bath?'

As expected, it did not take long for internet-sensei to come up with an answer.

"It's not really perverted for you to say it, but you never know how the person on the other end will take to it. You don't really need to tell them what you're doing. You could just say you'll be right back."

I see...

Tsubasa must have had perverted thoughts when I told her I was taking a bath.

Thank you, internet-sensei!

With that out of the way, I picked up some casual clothes that I'll wear for the day and immediately changed, and upon finishing, I stared at the mirror to look at my form.

Tsubasa said I was handsome, and I'd be adding to my 'handsomeness' if I learned how to smile.

I do not know how to do it like how Tsubasa does it, but since I would exercise 36 muscles when smiling, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to practice.

With my resolve formed, I decided to give smiling a shot.

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CURSED IMAGE?!

Alright... take deep breaths, Kiyotaka. The first time is always the hardest, as they say.

Let's give it a try once again.

Smile

Ah, much better!

But it still needs work since it looks forced and unnatural.

Well... it's leagues ahead of what I did earlier, so I should just congratulate myself on this progress.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Kiyotaka-sama, it's time for breakfast!" Asuka said from outside the door.

I soon descended down to the dining area, and since my father had already departed, I ate by myself, which isn't a bad thing.

I prefer it that way.

I may be amicable to his requests, but I do not think I will find it in me to forgive that man for everything he did to me.

After eating my breakfast, I brushed my teeth and went back downstairs, where Eiichiro was already sitting on the couch, watching something called Monster.

It is an intriguing show, and I actually found myself fascinated by its main antagonist, Johan Liebert.

Eiichiro immediately noticed me and paused the show before shooting me a wide grin.

"You're already wearing my gift, Kiyotaka! I'm glad," he said.

"Of course. This is the first gift I've received... so I will treasure it," I replied before I sat on the same couch as Eiichiro did.

"By the way, Tsubasa-chan called me earlier and ranted about you being an insensitive, dummy, zero common sense senpai. What did you do, Kiyotaka?"

I turned my head to Eiichiro and, in a blank tone, replied,

"She said she didn't buy me a gift, so I jokingly told her I wouldn't forgive her unless she kissed me on the lips... then, I told her I was ending our chat because I had to take a bath."

Eiichiro laughed... hard.

"SE-SERIOUSLY?! YOU ACTUALLY SAID THAT TO HER? Wait, let me catch my breath back! This is just so amusing," Eiichiro said, before shaking his head in what I presume to be amusement.

"I know it's bad. Internet-sensei said so. But why are you laughing that hard, Eiichiro? It's a little annoying."

"Keep this between us, okay? I think Tsubasa-chan has a crush on you. So just imagine how she's feeling after reading that kind of message from you. You're such a menace, Kiyotaka," he chided in jest.

"Huh?"

"T-this guy..."

"She has a crush on me? How would she like a boring person like me?" I asked in curiosity.

"You're far from a boring person, Kiyotaka. You say the most interesting things from time to time. But if I had to guess... it's probably because she had a strong first impression of you. She seemed game to follow you around even on the first day we met with her," Eiichiro replied.

"So the way to Tsubasa's heart is food?" I asked in curiosity.

After all, when I first met Tsubasa, I paid for our meal, which she ate like a glutton that hadn't eaten anything for a week.

"No, dumbass. You know what... I won't even bother explaining. But just remember that even if you think there's nothing much to you aside from your insane physical stats and intellect, other people wouldn't necessarily see it that way," Eiichiro replied.

"Is that how it is? Interesting..."

"Yep! But don't worry, Kiyotaka. I, Eiichiro-sama, had already promised that I would take you under my wing, didn't I?"

Eiichiro faced me, showed me a thumbs-up pose, and had a wide grin on his face... something like that Uzumaki Naruto had in one of the shows we watched.

I told Eiichiro I didn't like the show, so we dropped it.

"That pose... makes me want to punch you, Eiichiro."

The only people I'd allow to get away with doing something cringe like that are pretty girls. Eiichiro is not a pretty girl; therefore, the decision is obvious.

As I raised a hand, Eiichiro immediately backed up and began to frantically wave his hands around.

"He-hey... calm down, Kiyotaka!"

"I am calm."

"Then put your fist down!"

"Just don't do that dumb-looking pose again," I replied.

"Fine fine! You're so stingy, you damned robot. Anyways, I heard from dad that you're going out with your father later for some elite gathering gibberish. Do you think you're ready for that?"

"I have to be," I replied.

"Well... I wish you luck, Kiyotaka. Let me know if anything interesting happens, alright?"

"Sure thing."

There's really no issue in showing up at that level of gathering, so I believe I'd be safe in it. I suppose the problem lies in the fact that my father wants to test out my aptitude in socialization, and I am uncertain how effective that would be in my current state.

But my mission aside, there is another reason why I'm interested in going to the event later. Father told me that some of the heirs of said influential people are attending the event as well.

While Tsubasa and Eiichiro proved themselves as valuable assets to learn from, I find myself curious how I'd fare with other people my age.

2.3

"Kiyotaka-sama, it's time to depart."

Upon hearing Matsuo's voice, I took one final glance at the mirror to appraise my look.

Judging by the criteria women use to rate a man's attractiveness, I believe I would hit all the checkmarks.

"You should be grateful I chose a beautiful woman to give birth to you, Kiyotaka."

Thank you to the mother I've never known, I suppose.

"Thank you, Matsuo. I will be out in a while," I replied.

As I finished appraising my own appearance, I turned off all the appliances and lights in my room before finally exiting my room, meeting the figure of Matsuo, who greeted me with his usual smile.

"It suits you, Kiyotaka-sama," he said as he appraised my appearance.

"Thank you, Matsuo. Shall we go now?"

"Of course."

Soon enough, Matsuo and I parted ways as I made my entrance inside the limousine, where I was greeted by the sight of my father and his ever-apathetic face.

Guess we were the same in that regard.

"Good evening, father," I said.

"Good evening, Kiyotaka. Take a seat so we can depart," he replied, gesturing for me to sit across from him.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

"That's a nonsensical answer, father. I never knew the sensation of nervousness," I replied.

The controlled environment of the White Room made sure of that.

"Good. That's the last thing you want to feel in a gathering like this. Remain firm and hold your own against these people who are trigger-happy in utilizing psychological warfare and thinly-veiled insults to prove some pointless superiority over another," he said.

"Should I give said people the taste of their own medicine?"

"If you deem it appropriate, then you have my permission. But I advise you to only do so as a last resort."

"Understood."

After enjoying a couple of minutes of silence, I saw my father take out some pieces of paper from his inside pocket and then handed them to me.

As I sent him a quizzical look, he spoke.

"Those are the profiles of the families that will be attending the gala. Memorize it to avoid potential blunders later on. The data has been sorted by hierarchy, so the first family would be the most prestigious, whereas those at the bottom... can simply be ignored unless something interests you," he explained.

From the files, two names stood out:

Koenji Rokusuke, Heir to the Koenji Conglomerate, and

Kanzaki Ryuji, Heir to the Kanzaki Conglomerate, a group that was one of the major sponsors of the White Room.

These are scions of major companies who are my age that my father appraised to have good to great potential.

"It's impressive how comprehensive these files are," I pointed out.

"Naturally. To survive in the higher echelons of society, it is important to know your allies and, most importantly, your enemies intimately. This is a dog-eat-dog world where only those whose ambitions are matched by their strength stand at the very top," he replied.

"Explains why you haven't been in the limelight for many years now, father," I nonchalantly retorted.

I took a single glance at my father and was satisfied at seeing the glare he was sending my way.

"It won't be long until that changes, Kiyotaka."

He spoke in a way that made you think he saw it as an inevitability. If it weren't for my inherent dislike for the man, I might have been moved by his self-belief.

"Perhaps."

As I said this, he maintained his stare at me for a few seconds before turning away.

His fall from grace... still remains a sore spot for him, it would seem.

But he will not bounce back at my expense, that's for sure.

Little did he know that his decision to humor my wishes was the start of my inevitable rebellion.

The taste of freedom, after all, is addicting.

Once you have a taste of it, it's difficult to let go.

I wonder if he'll find satisfaction if I manage to accomplish what he wants me to accomplish, but in a way that I did it on my terms.

Would he be happy because his masterpiece achieved its purpose?

Or

Would he be enraged at the thought that I steered away from his ideals as I made my mark on the world?

End of Chapter

A/N: I was thinking of including the supposed Christmas Gala in this chapter, but I figured it'd be better if it's given a chapter of its own.

And as implied, that's right, Kiyotaka will meet two people who would also be in ANHS when he enrolls—Koenji and Kanzaki.

Koenji is Koenji that's why he's there, and Kanzaki... was added because of how he canonically knew Ayanopapa and was even childhood friends with Arisu.

Don't worry, the pace will noticeably increase by Chapter 4. I'm just trying to build this new world for Kiyo so his reactions come canon, wouldn't be a big surprise to everyone.

Also... what do you think about making Koenji into a Kiyotaka "bro?" We need to give our boy a weird ally with an equally weird philosophy about life.